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Josh Tinson reviews the 2008 edition of Ironman Japan

While Ironman Japan will be remembered as a day where a new Ironman champion was born and a defending champion confirmed her dominance, the biggest story of the day at the 2008 Ironman Japan event was Australia’s Luke McKenzie claiming his first Ironman title.
McKenzie lead out of the water alongside Canada's Mathieu O’Halloran, who encountered problems late on the bike, allowing McKenzie to press ahead as sole leader.

The eventual champion’s biggest challenge of the day came from fellow countryman Mitchell Anderson, who cut down a nine minute buffer at the beginning of the bike, to just under three minutes heading into T2.

A wrong turn on the run course spelled disaster for Anderson’s campaign for the Ironman Japan title, who saw the three minute gap blow out to eight minutes by the end of the race.

German Hans Muehlbauer, who looked out of contention for the outright win midway through the bike, stayed consistent throughout the run and went three places better than is sixth placing at Ford Ironman Louisville last August.

In an Ironman career breakthrough win, Luke McKenzie not only took the title, but also broke the existing course record by almost twelve minutes. In fact, McKenzie, Anderson and Muehlbauer all broke the existing record, set by Australian Jason Shortis in 2005.

The fight for the women’s title was an exciting affair, with defending champion Naomi Imaizumi (JAP) and Bree Wee (USA) battling over much of the bike course before the defending champion in Imaizumi broke away shortly after T2.

With one qualifying slot for the pro women on offer to the Ford Ironman World Championship, this was a battle both women needed to win; with the hometown favorite eventually building a three minute buffer.

Australia’s Sarah Pollett had an amazing swim, the first woman out of the water and fifth overall, and would eventually finish in third place. On the bike, Pollett faded gradually as Wee took control at the front, and Imaizumi quickly eroded any gap that held her from the lead.

Simone Hakenberg from the Netherlands was the first female age grouper across the line, coming in just under an hour after first place was decided.

Despite forecasts early in the week for a wet and windy day, athletes and spectators were greeted with overcast skies, gentle breezes and nothing more.